Friday, September 14, 2007

DJ's favourite dilemmas

Once you start Deejaying, you figure out there are three types of music:

Music you listen to and also play at the parties,

Music others want you to play (and most of the times doesn't fit your taste at all),

Music you listen to but only play for yourself.

Sooner or later every DJ faces some crises in connection to those three point. Firstly, music you like and play is not necessarily music people know and want to hear. Empty dance floor could feel even worse than embarrassing yourself on first date so you have to take compromises. You always prepare few hits people know and you like. However, I am still quite reluctant to play commercial music only. Regardless the situation, I'd always try to fit in some indie rock. I like t think of it as music education but some obviously consider it as an invitation. So they come and complain about it.

Which brings us to our second and probably most popular DJ dilemma: music wishes. I know exactly how it feels to want to hear a song you think would fit in perfectly. Come to think of it I've had quite a few music wishes up till now. To be completely honest, talking to DJs was pretty much my regular activity. But once you are on the other side, it just becomes annoying. Not so much because of distractions as because of realising people want to listen to Britney Spears, turbo folk and Slovenian pop. Saying you don't have that exact CD doesn't really help as they will bring their own. The Iron Lady ways right: JUST SAY NO!

And of course there is also music you like and listen to, but would not play for others. Most of the times because people can't dance to it, nobody knows it (apart from you and your friends), nobody heard about that artist or it is just not your style. For instance Frank Sinatra: I love his work since I was a teenager and his double CD was the only valentines special offer I'd ever buy. To myself of course. Even cynical darkers have soft moments now and then. Normally I don't share my Frankie boy but this time I'll make an exception. This one is really worth it.: